In the midst of thousands
of poetry submissions
20 poems may have value,
maybe 1
will be a masterpiece.
Forgive the truism
that the good is rare -
Which makes parenting,
starting families
a highly risky,
a highly courageous
and wishful proposition.
It begins with sleepless nights,
care and attention every minute,
then days rife with conflict, arguments,
days astir with sweat and toil.
There will be thousands of ways
to miss the mark,
thousands of ways to try
while the child is still drawn
to shadowy, nefarious ways,
ways that still push
the family in the fire,
that tax parents to the uttermost
and all, by the end of 20 years,
with the lacklustre or little
to show for all that toil.
If poetry submissions say
anything it would be that families follow
a similar way -
but the cost is
far heavier.
For 20 years or more
will not likely yield
starry or beautiful citizens,
fine artists, seers or sages,
people who will beautify
and be a credit to Mother Earth.
20 years of sweat and toil,
20 years of dragging up a hill
a sedated hippopotamus,
20 years of support and provision
will likely spawn
creatures that spread
more bad than good,
more suffering, more misery
than joy or clarity.
Yet hope perches in the soul eternal -
all parents hope, we all do,
that our children will turn out
to be as the chosen few.